Reflector button



May 20, 1941.

H. BASTOW REFLEGTORVBUTTQN Filed March 5, 1958 INVENTOR Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFLECTOR BUTTON Harry Bastow, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application March 5, 1938, Serial No. 194,116

Claims.

My invention relates to reflector buttons of the-type commonly and extensively employed in the construction of directional, caution and warning signs displayed along public highways, which signs are rendered clearly visible at night by the reflected illumination of the constituent buttons from light beams directed upon the latter from the headlights of approaching motor vehicles.

Important objects of the invention are to provide a reflector button of the character described, which will reflect directed illumination with exceptional brilliancy, which will not become dull and dimmed from prolonged exposure but will maintain its gleaming qualities indefinitely, which may be readily and conveniently mounted on its support or removed from the latter, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, durable and highly efficient in its use, attractive in appearance, and economical in its manufacture, installation and maintenance.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, com bination and arrangement of parts herein specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that changes in the form, proportions, and details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a mounted reflector button constructed in accordance with the invention, with a pontion of the support being broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, and Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are inner views of the joined ends of the lens section and the reflector section, respectively.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my improved reflector button comprises a front lens section I, and a rear reflector section 2. Each of the sections l and 2 is constructed of clear or colored glass, to meet conditions found in practice, and is cast or molded to shape to provide an integral section structure.

The lens section I comprises a one-piece body of circular cross section including a forwardly disposed, substantially hemispherically-shaped lens 3, and a rearwardly extending connecting shank 4, which is tapered by 'the gradual reduction of its diameter toward its rear end. Thelens section further embodies an annular flange 5 surrounding the inner end portion of the lens 3 immediately in advance of the point of mergence of the outer end of the shank 4 with the rear end of the lens 3. The flange 5 is disposed outwardly in right angular relation with respect to the lens 3 and shank 4. The latter is formed with a circular pocket 6 which opens at the rear end thereof. The pocket is formed with a flat front wall and a tapering side wall gradually diminishing the diameter of the pocket from its rear open end toward the flat front wall thereof.

The reflector section 2 includes a one-piece part body of circular cross section having a rear of flared contour, and a tapered forward part merging at its rear end into the forward end of said rear part. The latter is of greater diameter than said forward part to thereby provide the section 2 with an annular peripheral shoulder l. The front or forward end of said forward part corresponds in outer diameter to the outer diameter of the rear end of .the shank 4. The forward part of the section 2 is formed with a reflector chamber 8 opening at the front or forward end of such section. The reflector chamber 8 has a curved rear wall, and a tapering side wall gradually increasing the diameter of said chamber from said rear wall toward its front open end. The curved end wall and the tapered side wall of the reflector chamber 8 are covered with any suitable light reflecting material to provide an efiicient reflector surface.

The reduced rear end of the lens section I is formed with an annular recess 9 to receive and engage an annular rib [0 of a corresponding figure provided on the reduced front end of the reflector section 2. The recess 9 and rib l0 correspond in contour. The recess 9 borders the open end of the pocket 6. The rib Ill forms a portion of the side wall of the chamber 8. The rear end of the lens section is joined to the front end of the reflector section, and such interengagement of the recess and rib will facilitate the proper abutment of the joined ends of said sections, to dispose the open end of the pocket 6 into exact registration with the open end of the reflector chamber 8.

The adjoining ends of sections I and 2 are permanently welded together by a known fusing process, requiring a fusing compound and a fusing treatment of the connected section ends. This connection of the section ends by a fusing process is an important feature of the invention, for when the sections are so joined, the entire button is substantially the lens and reflector an integral structure. The reflector chamber 8 and pocket 6 are thereby hermetically sealed, whereby no exposure or any other untoward condition can ever diminish or otherwise change and impair the reflecting properties of the button structure.

In analogous devices, now in common use, the reflector section is usually constructed of metal and cemented to the embodied glass lens section. The cement employed is permeable to weather conditions, thereby causing the deterioration of the reflecting properties by dulling and dimming the reflector surfaces of the reflector structure. However, in the use of my improved button, em.-. bodying a reflector section also constructed of glass fused to the glass lens section, the tion of [the sections is impermeable to weather conditions, and in consequence the efliciency of the device is consistently maintained throughout the life of its use.

The configuration and relative positions of the interopening pocket 6 and reflector chamber 8 are such as to provide the most efiicient angles of light refraction for effectively reflecting illumination directed against the lens 3 at night from-the headlights of an approaching motor vehicle, or from any other source of illumination. In daylight, my improved button will scintillate with ample brilliance and effectiveness to render same clearly obvious and legible to an observer from a considerable distance.

In practice the reflector buttons are set or mounted on a support usually in the form of a sign plate H. The buttons are aligned or arranged to display words or symbols imparting the information for which the sign is intended.

The reflector buttons are mounted on the plate I I by extending and projecting the rear portions thereof through an aperture l2, provided therefor in the plate, and seating the annular flange of the lenssection I against the outer edge margin of the plate aperture i2. flector buttons is secured in the mounted position by a split resilient collar 13, which is-shaped to conform to and is clamped around the converging tapered end portions of the lens and reflector sections l and 2 in engagement with the inneredge margin of the plate aperture l2.

What I claim is:

1. In a reflector button, a glass lens section including a forwardly disposed lens portion, a shank portion merging at its forward end into the rear end of and-extending rearwardly from said lens portion, and an outwardly directed endless flange portion on the rear part of the lens portion immediately in advance of the point of mergence between said lens and shank portions, said shank portion being formed with a pocket opening at the rear end thereof, a reflector carrying section formed of a glass body flange and having a forward end corresponding in diameter to the rear end of said shank portion, said body being formed with a reflector'chamber opening at the forward end thereof said pocket having a side and front wall, said chamberhaving a side and a rear wall, the side wall of said chamber forming a flush continuation of the side wall of said pocket, the rear end of said shank portion and the forward end of said body being interengaged and fused together to form an impervious hollow substantially solid button, and a reflecting means disposed throughout the walls of said chamber.

2. In a reflector button, a glass lens section indesigned or Each of the recluding a forwardly disposed lens portion, a shank portion merging at its forward end into the rear end of and extending rearwardly from said lens portion, and an outwardly directed endless flange portion on the rear part of the lens portion immediatelyin advance of the point of mergence between said lens and shank portions, said shank portion being formed with a pocket opening at {the rear end thereof, a reflector carrying section formed of a glass body of less diameter than said flange and having a forward end corresponding in diameter to the rear end of said shank portion, said body being formed with a reflector chamber opening at the forward end thereof, said pocket having a side wall and a front wall, said chamber having a side wall and a rear wall,

, the sidewall of said chamber forming a flush of less diameter than said continuation of the side wall of said pocket, the

rear end of said shank portion and the forward end of said body being interengaged and fused together to form an impervious hollow substantially solid button, and a reflecting means disposed throughout the walls of said chamber, the side wall of said pocket and chamber being tapered, the front wall of said pocket being flat andthe rear wall of'said chamber being curved.

3. In a reflector button, a glass lens section including a forwardly disposed lens portion, a shank portion merging at its forward end into the rear end of and extending rearwardly from said lens portion, and an outwardly directed endless flange portion on the rear part of the lens portion immediately in advance of the point of mergence between said lens and shank portions, said shank portion being formed with a pocket opening at the rear end thereof, a reflector carrying section formed of a glass body of less diameter than said flange and having a forward end corresponding in diameter to the rear end of said shank portion, said body being formed with a reflector chamber opening at the forward end thereof, said pocket having a front and a side wall, said chamber having a side and a rear wall, the side wall of said chamber forming a flush continuation of the side wall of said pocket, the rear end of said shank portion and the forward end of said body being interengaged and fused together to form an impervious hollow substantially solid button, and a reflecting means disposed throughout the walls of said chamber, said body in proximity to its rear end being formed-with an endless peripheral shoulder.

4. In a reflector button, a glass lens section including a forwardly disposed lens portion, a shank portion merging at its forward end into the rear end of and extending rearwardly from said lens portion, and an outwardly directed endless flange portion on the rear part of the lens portion immediately in advance of the point of mergence between said lens and shank portions, said shank portion being formed with a pocketopening at the rear end thereof, a reflector carrying section formed of a glass body of less diameter than said flange and having a forward end corresponding in diameter to the rear end of said shank portion, said body being formed with a reflector chamber opening at the forward end thereof, said pocket having a side and front wall, said chamber having a side and a rear wall, the side wall of said chamber forming a flush continuation of the side wall of said pocket, the rear end of said shank portion and the forward end of said body being interengaged and fused together to form an impervious hollow substantially solid button, and

between said lens and shank portions, said shank portion being formed with a pocket opening at the rear end thereof, a reflector carrying section formed of a glass body of less diameter than said flange and having a forward end corresponding in diameter to the rear end of said shank portion, said body being formed with a reflector chamber opening at the forward end thereof, said pocket having a side and a front wall, said chamber having a side and a rear wall, the side wall of said chamber forming a flush continuation of the side wall of said pocket, the rear end of said shank portion and the forward end of said body being interengaged and fused together to form an impervious hollow substantially solid button, and a reflecting means disposed throughout the Walls of said chamber, said body in proximity to its rear end being formed with an endless peripheral shoulder, said shank portion gradually decreasing in diameter toward its rear end,

and said body gradually increasing in diameter from its forward end to its peripheral shoulder.

HARRY BASTOW. 

